Georgia: Tbilisi residents defiant in face of Russian military might

Spitting defiance at their mighty neighbour, Georgians in the capital city Tbilisi are determined to present themselves as a nation unbowed.

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Demonstrators in Tbilisi wave Georgian flags while protesting against what they call a Russian intervention in the breakaway Georgian enclave South OssetiaPhoto: AP

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Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili speaks during a security council meeting in TbilisiPhoto: AP

By Adrian Blomfield in Tbilisi

10:24PM BST 09 Aug 2008

They may have been warned that their city is a possible target for Russian bombs, but even after government buildings and parliament were evacuated, ordinary Georgians crowded on to the streets in a show of chutzpah last night. On Rustaveli Avenue, the main thoroughfare, cars draped in the Georgian flag paraded slowly, horns blaring rhythmically.

Thousands formed a human chain round the Russian embassy, their chants adding to the cacophony that echoed through the city into the early hours of yesterday.

"People are coming here because of the war, they are very angry and they want to show support for the government," said Mino Khulelidze, 22, a student at the demonstration. "Many people have come from areas with bombing and shooting and the government must give people houses. They want Russia to stop."

This is, after all, a city fuelled by the idea of people power and battles against the odds. In 2003, hundreds of thousands camped out in city squares day after day until they forced the resignation of the Moscow-backed president, Eduard Shevardnadze. The demonstrators faced down intimidation by the security forces by handing out roses to the soldiers, many of whom broke down in tears.

On the back of this Rose Revolution, as it was subsequently dubbed, a new pro-western liberal, Mikheil Saakashvili, was swept to power. For Georgia, it felt like a defeat had been inflicted on the Kremlin. The defiance continued under Mr Saakashvili, who chipped away at the fetters that locked his country to Russia and applied to join the European Union and Nato – much to Moscow's disgust.

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Once again, Georgians are resolved to stand up to what they see as Russian bullying, even if the stakes are now much higher. Many are convinced that sometimes the underdog does triumph, especially if they believe in the righteousness of their cause. "You know that movie, The Mouse that Roared, yes?" demanded Vano Gongadze, a driver. "Georgia is the mouse – Mighty Mouse."